I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on an abra line review, if you feel like discussing it!
(You ask that like I'm not ready to launch into a 600 page essay on this line at any given second)
Abra is one of the cutest Pokemon out there to me, though granted I might be slightly biased. I think part of it is that it's not overly human-like; it's very much just a very sleepy baby animal, and that's adorable.
Design-wise, normally I'd say it's a bit too close to Kadabra for its own good. The hands, markings, head, etc. are all different, but it's still pretty similar, especially when you see it stand up:
However, what saves it is how it works conceptually. Instead of just acting like a mini Kadabra, it instead is a perpetual sleepyhead that subconsciously teleports if it senses trouble. That, in and of itself, is an excellent concept for a psychic-type, and gives it a very distinct feeling from the rest of the line along with a unique catching mechanic.
Also, I really like the reason why it sleeps all the time:
The whole line, in general, has this thing going on where they're like psychic horses and die if you look at them wrong, both stat-wise and lore wise (Abra's abilities put a strain on its mind, Kadabra gets headaches, Alakazam needs to hold its head up with its kinesis then all of its muscles atrophy when it mega evolves...), so this works really well with that theme and provides a logical reason for why its asleep most of the time.
Kadabra is my all time favorite Pokemon. 10000/10 everyone else go home we're done here
Okay no but seriously, there really is nothing about Kadabra that I don't love. It's some kind of kaiju with an insect-like body, a fox head, and a giant fat gecko tail for good measure. It uncontrollably fucks up its environment just by existing. One of its dex entries is a Kafka reference. Incredible.
Design-wise, one interesting tidbit about Kadabra is that it was actually designed first and the rest of the line came way later, judging by production data (and ranked #25 in the initial early popularity polls they did, good for it). You can kind of tell looking at it, as Abra and especially Alakazam are just kind of extensions of Kadabra with less elements on them. Considering how good the overall line is it makes me wonder if they should start more lines by creating the middle evo first.
I also really like the markings. They're based off of Zener cards, which are supposed to be used to detect ESP in people.
Not only do they look really cool (and serve a practical purpose; according to the 'dex, they're used to store energy for evolution), but it's a nice way to hint at the magician theme the line has while not being as literal as the spoons.
Speaking of the spoons, I know some don't like them (and I get why), but I actually think they work pretty well. They help communicate the magician theme, they serve a practical purpose (they enhance and focus their psychic powers), and it's explained how they get them (they make them using their abilities). There's actually a surprising amount of thought put into them, and Kadabra is often posed or animated to be focusing on the spoons.
In all fairness though, I might as well nitpick the design a little. The crotch squiggles are... well, I just used the term "crotch squiggles". You need them there to make the Zener card motif clear, but they might've been better off on the back or something. Also, not sure what the purpose of the plate is there either; a more pointed waist piece like Alakazam has probably would've made more sense. That's it, though, and those are just things that could objectively be improved, not things that bother me personally.
As you can probably guess from Kadabra being my all-time fav, I don't like Alakazam's design as much. But that's not to say it's bad--I would actually change very little about it, aside from maybe keeping the markings--and it does an excellent job of looking like a more powerful, more mature Kadabra.
The main thing with Alakazam is that it becomes noticeably more humanoid, not only losing the giant tail (a crime, really), but also just in terms of proportions. I totally get why most people would prefer this, but I love how Kadabra is like a weird blend of 17 different animals, and you don't get that as much as Alakazam.
Actually, if there was something else I'd change aside from just adding markings, it would be to make it look a bit more like the old art:
Alakazam's original artwork gave off a completely different Vibe(TM). The head was considerably bigger in proportion to the body, reflecting the 'dex mentioning it needing kinesis to hold its own head up, and it was always hunched over, arms almost dragging on the ground. It really look like something that could blow up your brain with a thought.
Also, some parts of the design just don't look as good as they do on Kadabra. The longer mustache/whiskers don't feel nearly as natural as Kadabra's, the feet are a weird chunky shape instead of the bird feet Abra and Kadabra have, and even the way it's constantly clutching two spoons feels a bit weird. It doesn't really use them as a focus like Kadabra does, they're just kind of there all the time, and it just feels a bit awkward to me. Also, what happened to the claws on its hands?
However, I love the 'dex entries about its high intelligence (once again, giving each stage of the line something unique), the purple expanding to give it a pair of bracers and knee pads, etc. So it's still pretty great in my book; just not as great as its pre-evo.
I do like mega Alakazam's design quite a bit, and I want to disclaim that because I need to rant about the forehead gem for a second: WHY DOES IT HAVE A FOREHEAD GEM. So many psychic-types have forehead gems, the Abra line was one of the few that didn't, so why turn around and give them one?? But it's especially weird because many megas incorporate elements from the pre-evos, and Kadabra already has a forehead marking. Just use the plus sign or square from the Zener card markings, that would've been perfect and fit with the line more thematically!!
Though on the plus side, the 'dex describes that not as a gem but as an "organ", and the thought of that being soft and filled with blood is certainly weird enough to get it a few points back in my book:
Anyway, foreheads aside, I do like the design quite a bit, maybe even more than regular Alakazam. A lot of megas just feel like the base Pokemon but More(TM), so M. Alakazam does a really good job at advancing things in a way that feel purposeful. The way the head now forms a star, the way Alakazam's bracers extend to form robe-like "sleeves", the mustache becoming a full beard, ect. Even the way it transitions from magician to guru kind of makes sense, given that the 'dex talks about how spiritual the line is (though I do prefer the magician angle, just because it's a really unique angle; we already have a few other meditative guru-like Pokemon after all). Not to mention how the muscle atrophy fits with the line's frailness, with a torso so small you could wrap your hands around it.
I also really like how the spoons are handled here. Not only increasing the amount from two to five to show how much stronger it is than its base form, but also levitating them above itself, which feels much more natural than Alakazam constantly clutching them in both its fists. Also, minor thing, but I like how the feet perfectly lock together as well.
I think my sole complaint, outside of the gem, is that I would've liked to see the beard be more yellow and gradient into a white, just because having it all be white feels a hair overpowering (pun not intended but I'll take it). Other than that, it's solid.
So overall, an excellent line. I have few issues outside of a couple nitpicky complaints. Kadabra's still the best though (in my heart).
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The Psychic Spectacular event has been detailed!
Sept6 at 10am to Sept12 at 8pm, local time
Mega Alakazam raids
Evolve Kadabra into Alakazam during the event to get the Charged Move Psychic
Wilds: Abra, Slowpoke, Drowzee, Natu, Ralts, Spoink, Woobat, Munna, Gothita, Solosis, Elgyem. Kadabra and Kirlia are lucky encounters.
Unown E, P, S (or rather ESP) and Espurr in 1⭐️ raids. Alolan Raichu, Wobbuffet, Girafarig, and Oranguru in 3⭐️ raids. Deoxys (all formes) available in 5⭐️, and M-Alakazam in Mega Raids.
Deoxys Raid day on Sept11 from 2pm until 5pm, local. You can get up to 5 additional Daily Raid Passes spinning Gyms, and there's a higher chance of encountering Shiny Deoxys.
Eggmons hatching from 7km Eggs are Smoochum, Wynaut, and Chingling.
Field research Mons are: Baltoy, Chimecho, Elgyem, and occasionally Hypno.
Times research focusing on curveballs
A Psychic Cup in the Battle League for Pokémon of 1500 CP or lower. Mew is not allowed.
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